On Saturday, 29 June as a joint effort involving Tallink and the Let’s Do It! Foundation, Tallink ships sailing in the Baltic Sea sounded their horns to draw attention to the big clean-up event to take place this coming year on the Mediterranean.
On Saturday, 29 June at 9:55 (UTC) Tallink vessels sounded their horns for 5 seconds, thereby joining ships in various places around the Mediterranean Sea whose horns were on at exactly the same time. The Mediterranean event is initiated by Croatia with its famous resort towns and ports, where the call to think about the environment is the most vocal.
“Despite its beautiful blue waters, contamination in the Mediterranean Sea is very high. The level of plastic garbage in the sea is beyond critical, and in certain places the volume of micro plastic in the water exceeds that of plankton. Since the clean-up events that started in Estonia have already inspired people in more than a hundred countries, we had the idea to expand our activities and direct attention to the seas,” says Helene Urva, a representative of the Mediterranean clean-up event.
“The goal is to connect all Mediterranean countries and have at least one million people participate in a big clean-up day in May next year. This in turn should draw the attention of decision-makers and facilitate active work aimed at finding solutions to environmental problems in the Mediterranean region,” Helene adds. According to her, the Estonian management group has also discussed about organising a similar clean-up event for the Baltic Sea.
Although it may be hard to compare Estonia and the Mediterranean region, according to Peter Roose, member of the board at Tallink, participation in the event is both symbolic and logical. “Croatia, who is leading the Mediterranean action, has invited Estonia, as the birthplace of the Let’s Do It! events, to participate. The horns of Tallink vessels on the Baltic support the Mediterranean clean-up action and draw attention to the importance of the environmental protection of all the seas of the world”.
The international clean-up action is supported by Tallink, Skype, Outfit7, Estonian Air, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, the Estonian Ministry of the Environment and the Estonian Foreign Ministry. The work of Estonian volunteers is supported by EuroPark, DHL Eesti, Radisson Blu Hotel Olümpia, Infovara, HansaRama, Meedius Eesti, EMT, Elion and Papyrus.
